Life Here and There

People matter. Relationships matter. Family matters. Church matters. God’s forever family and His Kingdom matter a great deal more than just about anything else. The depth of life is found in our relationships.

We live in times when we’re a click away from a whole new set of “friends,” who are essentially strangers, all over the world. While this expands our missions opportunities and opens up our exposure to new cultures, it can also create a terrible disconnect between us and those who matter the most. It’s still real life, face-to-face meetings that make more of a difference than any other.

I’ve been challenged lately to break out of my shell. I often revert back to the shyness of my youth and hide out behind all of the “responsibilities” and “opportunities” that often replace what is most important. But if I want to experience life’s greatest joys (and they only exist in relationships), then I must engage the people who are waiting to be loved in my life. If I want to be obedient to God’s great commission, I need to interact with the culture around me (meaning real people). If I want to get to my grave someday in fulfillment, I need to walk in relationship to other people.

Wanna go deep with me? Then…

• Pick up the phone today.
• Walk down the hall and encourage a fellow employee.
• Get a cup of coffee and say ‘Hi’ to someone new.
• Pray for people by name and by need.
• Find somebody that needs to be served.
• Set aside a half an hour for a game with your kid.
• Tell your spouse just three honest and loving thoughts about him/her.

Real depth in our lives comes not from knowing more, reading more, or studying more. It comes from opening up, loving, and serving more!

photo credit: Jinhan

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I thought I’d take just a few minutes and talk about the power of social networking and why I wish all my friends would jump in with both feet, as well as a couple of warnings…

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